1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembly for feeding and milking animals, the assembly being provided with an area where the animals are allowed to move freely, with a number of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals, with a retaining device for retaining an animal at a feeding station, which retaining device can be activated for retaining an animal and can be deactivated for releasing an animal, with a mobile milking robot for connecting at least one teat cup to a teat of an animal, and with a computer system for controlling the operation and movement of the milking robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
An assembly is known from EP-A-0635203 in which a mobile milking robot is moved along a rail and can be moved to a relevant feeding station. The mobile milking robot is provided with a retaining device for retaining an animal during milking. In order to integrate such an assembly for example into a customary cowshed, a number of extensive modifications are required that make the assembly economically less interesting. Moreover, it has been found that certain animals behave restlessly during milking. Further, the construction of the mobile milking robot of the known assembly should be extremely solid in order to retain the animal to be milked at its place during milking. Moreover, the approach of the mobile milking robot with the retaining device is experienced by the animals as threatening, which may lead to unrest, stress or even running away.